By Chris Shore

WWE Smackdown Hits

Miz TV segment: This was my favorite segment on the show, and a big Hit in my opinion. Daniel Bryan and Kane cut good promos that got the crowd hot, and then the Shield came in and cut another perfect video promo. The guy who impressed me the most was Roman Reigns. He said more than usual, and I thought he was spot on with his delivery. The standoff with Ryback put perfect heat on the match, especially since I expect a Shield win with a pin on a member of Team Hell No. Hard to improve on the entire segment.

Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio: Even though we have seen this match several times, and even though that made it feel particularly unspecial, this was still a very good match and a Hit for the show that was primarily full of misses in the ring. Both of these guys need better direction right now. Kofi is at least in a program with Wade Barrett. Del Rio is adrift. It seems inconceivable that two guys who can entertain in the ring like they did here aren't in better stories that will allow them to play to their strengths.

Big Show and Sheamus segments: While the Big Show vs. R-Truth match was weak, the overall build for Sheamus vs. Big Show was a Hit. No contact clauses can be silly, and we had the "one guy shoved into the other" gimmick, but the follow up was well done. Even if you don't like David Otunga, and I don't, his character provided a different wrinkle, and I liked how they played it out. The William Regal ending could have been better prepared by showing them together more during the past few weeks, but at least they pulled in a backstage segment to set it up. Considering I had no desire to see Big Show vs. Sheamus for a third time, they have done a fine job of making me interested in this match.

WWE Smackdown Misses

Rhodes Scholars vs. The Usos: This is one of those "true miss" moments where I didn't hate what happened, it was just meaningless. The introduction promo from Sandow did little, Cody didn't talk long enough to make a difference, and the match with the Usos was mediocre at best and ended with a roll up, not a decisive victory. I was very disappointed.

Raw replay: I understand the need to tell stories across shows, and I don't mind Raw Rebound videos, but did they really have to replay the entire match between Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus too? It seems to me that time would have been better served with an actual Smackdown match than a replay of a match that I would wager at least 90 percent of those watching Smackdown have already seen.

Aksana vs. Kaitlyn: I gave up a long time ago on ever seeing the Trish vs. Lita vs. Mickie James vs. Ivory vs. etc. matches again, but this was a different kind of awful. Aksana held a chinlock for close to three straight minutes. That is not an exaggeration, that is the sad truth. Here's the best way I can describe how bad this match was. Long time readers know of my disdain for the Aksana and Teddy Long sexually awkward segments from late last year and earlier this year (I think it was). I would rather have her back doing that than wrestling matches if this is all we can get from her. Terrible.

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